A General Theory Of Love
by coconut.jpg
Summary: What is going to happen if a complete stranger causes the perfect balance and composition of Sheldon's life to shatter? / Shamy, semi-AU.
1. Prologue

**A/N:**

 **So, hi. I'm not quite sure how it will go, all I know is that I love Shamy so much and- yup. I needed to. Hope you enjoy reading and patiently wait for Chapter I which I'm going to post soon.**

 _ **I own nothing of The Big Bang Theory. This is for entertainment purposes only.**_

* * *

She didn't exactly know what has got into her. It was truly something strange and it stirred inside of her, something that made her throw the resignation letter she wrote the night before at her boss' desk and, oh holy guacamole!, the way she spat at Mr. Johnson after all these years curling in his lab... Oh, well, he was going to remember this for a long, long time. Not every day you get to be called an old prick with your head up in your deep-ass toilet, therefore unable of hearing any goddamn request and question because of the constant water flushing. Self-centered pervert and a walking, money-corrupted failure. She didn't know what satisfied her more – the fact that he couldn't say a thing out of pure shock or just the shock she caused him. Oh yeah.

Not only that she acted like a anger-run teenager with her former boss and – as she noticed not so long ago – definitely an idiot, she also nearly threw her pair of keys at Bitchttany (or was it actually Brittany? She couldn't care less) after the said definitely inappropriately dressed woman tried to make yet another snarky comment on Amanda's conservative looks. Or quiet and withdrawn personality. Or anything, actually, because girls like that would never let her go and focus on their things. And God help her, she was so not the type to do such things. But she was so goddamn over with this bullshit, she needed to get the hell away from there as soon as possible.

Mumbling something between "Lord help me" and "or I will kill them all", she got into her old, nearly _wrinkled_ car with a loud huff. Her head turned as she backed the car away slowly, brows furrowed and fist clenched. She needed to get out of there, as soon as possible, before something could possibly change her mind and make her run upstairs, begging for forgiveness. But, then again, there was no going back. She made it clear the night before, when she finally packed all the things she needed for her three long weeks of ultimate pleasure and rest. Three weeks, as for the time being. She didn't plan on staying any longer, but maybe if she could find any job in Pasadena, maybe if she could finally make sure to fulfill her dreams, that would be it. Maybe she would finally settle.

A sigh escaped her plush lips as she soon reached her home, the sight of a tall building somewhat comforting and calming. Amy closed the car, and the sound of the squeaking front door made her smile as she opened it wide. She knew exactly where she wanted to live once she decided to move. Everything went under consideration: the short distance from her – then at least – new work, the humidity of the area, neighborhood that seemed like the nicest one (she didn't want drunk teenagers taking a leak on her car, really) and, of course, the charm of the building. Despite being a woman of science, she truly believed that sleeping in a building that makes you feel better and comforted, makes the dreams better. Of course she has never spoken about it out loud, knowing how the people from her former work would react to this, but she knew all along. It worked. And no one was going to make her think differently.

Managing to somehow get the keys out of her wallet somewhat hidden under the spare cardigan she packed to work, Amy finally got the door open. It wasn't dark outside, but the sun didn't reach the windows in her apartment until the late noon. She looked around, nearly expecting to see something unusual, but it was all the same: blue walls with white ornaments, two white boards in case she needed to write anything down quickly, the flat-screened TV with a DVD player and Wii plugged in.

She threw the bag onto the white couch, accidentally knocking off the blanket she put over the cushions but she didn't care. She took her phone out of her pocket, walking over to the sink as she dialed the desired number and poured herself some water. It was not long before she could hear the satisfying beeping sound. _One, two, three..._

"Penny? Hi, it's Amy."


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

 **Okay, here we go. I'm so crying over this chapter and the fact that I've been noticed by some of you just after posting the prologue which, as a matter a fact, wasn't showing the most of my abilities. You can't blame me though, I haven't written anything in around six months and truth be told TBBT miraculously inspired me. So here it goes. I do hope you're going to enjoy it.**

 **PS. I'm really sorry for spelling mistakes, I could really use a Beta...**

 _ **I own nothing of The Big Bang Theory. This is for entertainment purposes only.**_

* * *

Penny didn't know what to think, really. She truly believed that Leonard was going to freak out when he finds out what she was about to do, but she also believed that he'd understand. _Eventually._ It wasn't that her... _bestie_ was a goddamn five years old child and needed her constant help, right?

With a short sigh, she sat down on her couch and hummed in appreciation once she got a hold of a bottle of wine. Pouring herself some, she leaned against the cushions. Of course it was her – kind of - family and her fiancee was in no place to say anything, especially when he did not live with her just yet. Besides, she hasn't seen one of her closest friends in quite a while and it saddened her. She cut herself off after graduating and left Nebraska as soon as possible which caused her former friends to back off a little. Of course, she still kept in touch with them through Facebook, but that was so not the same.

Sipping on her wine, she looked at her watch. It was barely half past one but she knew better than to leave everything for the last moment. Penny got up from her spot with a sigh, shaking her head before finishing the wine with one last swallow, only to nearly spit it out at the sudden knock at her door. Or knocks. Yeah, she knew who's on the hallway before she even heard the oh-so-familiar voice.

Knock, knock, knock...

"Penny!"

Knock, knock, knock...

"Penny!"

Knock, knock, knock...

"Penny!"

"I am not driving you anywhere, Sheldon! I don't have goddamn time to babysit you, you giant robo-child." The woman sighed loudly yet opened the door, squinting slightly as she looked at the man before her. It always amazed her how weird of a person he was but she did not say it out loud. Kind of. Maybe mentioned it a few times, but, hey, everyone has bad days sometimes.

"But, Penny! I need to get to work today. What could possibly be more important than helping me, your neighbor and possibly a good friend?" His tone suggested that he was more than surprised with her statements. "Besides, I doubt you've got any other plans since Leonard is definitely not here, so chances for you two to have any coitus are undeniably low."

Jesus, it's been nearly a decade and she still couldn't get used to this stupid, little prick. Truly, there was a time when she really considered the promising opportunity of moving, but Leonard's face was enough to shush her before she could even open her mouth. Sheldon was Sheldon. An annoying little shit with OCD and many, many more not-so-fun disorders like the one he was showing off right now. What was it called? _Asshole Disorder?_

"I'm really sorry, Sheldon, but I have some place to go as soon as possible. There was a reason why I took the day off, I hope you understand." She replied with a sigh, rolling her eyes whilst grabbing her purse and car keys, soon locking the door behind her.

"But, Penny! Who's going to drive me, then?"

" _Damn it, Sheldon!"_

* * *

She felt... Insecure. It wasn't in a way any woman would understand, no, and it definitely bothered her with its unlikeness but she came to the conclusion it was normal since she hasn't seen her friend in quite a while. Yes, fine, she talked to Penny on a quite regular basis, at least that's what she thought but in the end they hasn't seen each other in _years._ Once Amy moved to Seattle, there was no possibility for her to come over and have a chit-chat anymore; fine, there was Skype, phone calls and all that jazz but the truth was that Amy missed their weekend sleepovers and the shopping center they used to go to every single Friday and even drinking nights. Not that she remembered any of them, truth be told, since she was usually the one ending up bent over the toilet with Penny holding her hair but that was not the matter. She just couldn't imagine going back to those moments, they were both grown ups now and...

Amy sighed out loud, which - as she noticed with visible annoyance - was becoming her new habit. She had to pull herself together, really, or else she would once again end up over the toilet. Not literally, of course, but still.

Gripping her suitcase tightly, she began to walk over to the escalator, knowing Penny was waiting somewhere down there. She doubted that her friend changed one bit, she was definitely not the type to go with her age, and it made it easier, for sure. She stepped on the first step, her suitcase right beside her and her purse tapping against her hip. Amy looked around, searching for the familiar blonde hair that Penny always denied being dyed, only to spot a familiar silhouette right next to the exit, waving a small cardboard with an "Dr. Ames Farrah Fowler" written in a neat, black font. _Of course_. She could not leave out the "Doctor" part. Amy rolled her eyes but grinned slightly once she reached the bottom of the escalator, taking a step towards the woman standing a few meters away.

"Amy Farrah Fowler! Damn it, girl, come here so I can give you the huggest of my hugs!"

 _Nope, some things never change._

She chuckled quietly at the thought before rolling her eyes and walking over to her friend, only to get nearly crushed in blonde's arms. The familiar scent of Chanel No5 and strawberry shampoo hit her nostrils as she let go of her suitcase, hugging her _bestie_ tightly.

"God, Penny, you're going to crush my ribs! Let go!" Amy laughed quietly, her quiet persona coming out once more at the unbelievable lack of change in her friend's looks. Fine, she might've gained a few pounds and changed her haircut but, holy crap, she had the same charming smile and lovable persona she remembered.

"Jesus, you haven't changed a bit. I missed you so much! God, just wait till I shower you with questions and stories and... Damn, have I mentioned how much I missed you, Ames?"

"Yup. But I don't mind, I missed you, too." The brunette grinned slightly, rolling her eyes in a manner that only fit a teenager, really. But she suddenly felt like the sweet, not-so-charming twenty years old girl that buried her nose in a pile of books and notes. She knew it was a good idea to come here, to see someone that won't judge or bash her; if she was worried before, it all went away once the blonde pulled away, her smile just as Amy remembered.

"How was your flight, Ames? I know how much you hate airplanes."

"It was okay. Two hours flied quickly, especially because I had something to read. Besides, I had so much to think about that it hasn't been that painful after all." She grinned a little wider, shrugging with one of her shoulders before gripping the suitcase once more. "Shall we go, though? I'm starving. The airplane buffet is _awful._ "

"Yes, of course! But you need to tell me everything. How come you quit your job at the University? I thought you enjoyed it. And that you made some progress with that empathy project you've been working on." Penny snorted quietly, shaking her head as they began to walk.

It wasn't that simple, though. Nothing was quite simple when it came to Amy and she knew it, but god damn it. She could not admit the failure over such a simple project, she could not possibly tell her friend that she felt like her studies and commitment were burning out. She couldn't tell Penny that she would rather go and get a role in an adult themed movie, than to go back to her work. Everything went down. Everything, really, when she realised she's going nowhere with anything.

"I think... I need a break. A short one, to get away from all the rambling about the genius Dr. Fowler with IQ that hit 183 and innovative sides of neurobiology she's recently tried to discover." The brunette sighed, pushing the door open and welcomed the warm wind with an undeniable pleasure. The airplane was loud and stuffed and she truly didn't know how the hell she is going to survive two hours of misery once she got on. But she left that out - she didn't want to throw a pity party just because her inner little goddamn girl popped out.

"Well, you're more than welcome to..."

" _Penny!_ What could possibly take you so long? You said you were just going to pick someone up and go back, not have a pointless chit-chat that costed me quite some time of waiting in this car that smells like old, burning grape juice and hairspray!"

Amy nearly jumped, hearing an annoyed voice coming out of her friend's car. The window was pulled down and she could see some man - or more likely his head - dangling out and looking straight in their direction. Penny let out a short sigh and something that sounded like "I could've just strangled him with a pillow while he was asleep".

"Sheldon, this is my friend, Amy. Amy, this man that can never get his manners right is Sheldon. Now, I hope we can all have a pleasant ride." She sighed loudly and Amy cocked her head to the side, squinting her eyes lightly. He was pale. That's what she noticed first. Too pale even for her and it made a weird contrast with his dark hair and blue eyes that seemed to looked focused yet a little confused once he settled them on her.

"Hello." She nodded at his direction curtly, reaching out a hand which seemed pointless since he didn't even get out of the car. _Gentleman_.

"Please, I'm not comfortable with any kind of physical contact, so it's pointless of you to stand there with your hand reached in such a manner." He sighed with an "isn't this obvious" roll of his eyes, shaking his head ever so slightly. "Dr. Sheldon Cooper, I can't determinate whether it's nice to meet you or not yet but I truly hope so."

"Amy Farrah Fowler." She sighed and opened the car door, pushing her suitcase on the backseat and soon sitting herself. "So, Penny, tell me more about your life. There's so much we need to discuss, how's Leonard? Are you still dating him?"

But before she could answer, Amy could hear something between a snort and a huff coming out of that man's mouth.

"It's _fine._ " Penny sighed, throwing a glare at her other passenger. "We're still engaged, nothing's changed except the fact that he might to move in in a nearby future."

"Oh, excuse me, but we did _not_ discuss this matter yet." The pale whack-a-doodle cut in once more and Penny took a deep, slow breath in hope not to pull the car over and throw him away at the nearest bus station. "The Roommate Agreement says, that Leonard..."

" _The Roommate Agreement?_ What's that?" The brunette snorted loudly, nearly letting her hand collide with the skin on her forehead only to meet with a loud groan coming from Penny. "Or, wait, I shouldn't ask."

Sheldon looked over his shoulder, his brows arched lightly and a lenient look plastered over his face.

"What do you not understand about my statement, T _he Roommate_ part or the _Agreement_?" He asked with a loud sigh, nodding a few times and speaking up before Amy could even open her mouth to come up with any kind of snarky comment. "Judging by the look on your face, it's both - so let me enlighten you. Both me and Leonard signed up a form which contains some simple rules and duties which make our lives..."

"You mean, which makes Leonard your slave..." Penny sighed quietly, rolling her eyes with an unamused expression. Either way, the man did not bother to correct her once more, finishing his earlier statement.

"Like I was saying, it definitely makes our lives easier and I can sleep peacefully knowing everything's perfectly arranged." He nodded with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, barely noticing the interruption. "Like, for example, my morning routine. I would not bother to fill you in, but everything's exactly on time, every day, so no one gets lost and roll around in a puddle of that hippie - dippie stuff."

" _Hippie - dippie?_ "

"Don't ask." Penny sighed loudly.

She didn't. But she got the answer anyway.

* * *

"Damn it, Pen, are you serious?"

She was certain that if she had to go through anymore stairs, she would faint. Amy did not know how the hell was she even able to go through that many and she was glad that she could finally drop her suitcase beside the couch and sit down.

"Say whatever you want, but I don't even need any workout anymore." Her friend grinned and rolled her eyes, walking over to the fridge and took out two bottles of beer, popping them open in no time. She walked over to the couch and plopped down, handing one to Amy.

"Drinking so early? It's not even four yet." The brunette chuckled but took the drink obediently, taking a small sip.

"What can I say, it's not easy to live with a bunch of nerds next door."

"And have one as a fiancee."

"True."

The blonde sighed but grinned, shaking her head lightly. She took a sip herself and hummed, crossing her legs before looking at her friend once more. Amy did change, after all. Despite the fact that she still had her hair a little curly and kept leaving it this way, Penny could also see that her eyes weren't that transparent anymore. Maybe it was the eyeliner that did the job but she could also see the signs of confidence and definitely lack of that girly dream she could see a few years back. Her face changed a little, too, looking more stern and serious.

She shook her head, trying to get back on track once she heard her friend's voice.

"So, Penny, tell me everything. I've heard you gave up acting? How was that even possible? I was almost sure you'll never going to do so." Amy grinned briefly, shaking her head.

"Well, I guess we all have to grow up at some point. There was no chance I could get myself into a movie or even a TV show that didn't require me having a gorilla hair plastered all over my skin, so..."

"I get it." The brunette snorted, leaning against the couch and took off her shoes, curling her legs up to her chest. "I feel you, though. It's been hard a couple of years. After mama and papa... You know, we both needed to grow up, I needed to grow up at least. I just wish I was as lucky as you." She finished with a slightly crooked smile, shaking her head and taking a sip of her beer.

Penny frowned lightly, her lips pursed to the side at the memory.

"It's been a few years, darling. I'm so sorry I wasn't there when you needed me the most but your decision about moving... It startled me a little. I wasn't quite sure..."

"It's okay." Amy cut in, looking at her friend with a slight warning in her eyes. "Let's drop off the topic, I shouldn't have said that. I don't need to think about that as well, not when I'm taking a vacation from my problems. Now, tell me, what are we going to do today? And, most importantly, are we going to remember this evening?"

"Well, since you've asked, I did think of going out. But maybe we could leave it for tomorrow? I mean, I thought you'd like to meet my friends today, it's Pizza Night at Sheldon's." Penny smiled apologetically, cocking her head to the side.

Okay, fine. It was not the best of Amy's expectations for the night, she really needed to get things off of her mind and the fact that she would have to spend the evening with one of the most repulsive men she's ever met wasn't the best option ever. But she truly needed to stop being anti-social and uptight.

"Well, okay." Amy sighed quietly, taking a sip of her beer. "But you do know I still wonder how the hell did you survive with that... That man next door? Who the hell is he, anyway? I mean, aside from being a total jackass that thinks he's more than any of us." She spat out, shaking her head once she did so. _So much hate, Amy. So much hate._

"I... He's not that bad, trust me. You just need to get used to his... Unique personality." Penny tried to sound convincing but the look on her friend's face was enough to tell her that she failed terribly.

"Unique? You mean annoying and repulsive?"

"He's CalTech theoretical physicist and Leonard's best friend."

"That you're obliged to drive to work every day?"

"Not every day." Penny whined, shaking her head. "Only sometimes, when Leonard is busy or needs to get off early. Besides, trust me, he gets more and more annoying if you don't help him."

"And you call him your friend?" Amy groaned, her hand colliding with the path of skin on her forehead. "Damn it, Pens, what you've got yourself into?"

"Not much, he's okay. Every one of them is okay. You'll see in no time, trust me." She grinned devilishly, taking a sip of her beer. "Now, we've got more important things to discuss."

Oh, yeah, this was so going to be one of the best nights... _Or nah._

* * *

Sheldon did not like changes. Or breaking points. Or unexpected turns. And he surely did not like unexpected guests.

Well, of course, he would not mind Stephen Hawking or Stan Lee coming by once in a while but that... That girl was definitely not someone he would like to give beverage to. She was small, her glasses made her emotionless eyes look like she was going to eat him alive and the look on her face... He cringed lightly, his brows furrowed and lips pursed. No, she was definitely a no. If her name would be enough reason to banish her, he would definitely do so.

With a loud sigh, he sat down next to his friends, his tray with food making an unpleasant noise as he put it on the table. His friends seemed to be engaged in a wild discussion, not bothering to greet him properly once he settled.

"Well, hello to every one of you, too. Due to social expectations, I am obliged to ask how are you." He smiled briefly, taking his fork and looked over at each of the faces. "So, how are you?"

Leonard sighed, shaking his head. _Oh, boy._

"Why did you ask Penny to drive you to work again? Couldn't you take a bus?" He asked in a definitely resigned tone, dabbing in his food himself. Sheldon sighed with a sigh that - hopefully - gave out more than any words could and took a mouthful of his early dinner. Or very late lunch.

"Well, what was more important than me, her friend? Besides, she herself said that she took a day off." He exclaimed, nodding as if to assure them of the authenticity of his statement. "Besides, I do not feel very well. I was afraid a ride with multiple people in such a small space could possibly affect my health even more." Sheldon sighed, ignoring the roll of eyes of his friend before shrugging with one of his shoulders.

Something, however, made a small, red bulb light up in Leonard's head, making his eyebrows arch.

"Hold up, wait. Penny took a day off? But she didn't tell me anything."

"Well, yes, due to my eidetic memory I can surely recall that she said so." Sheldon nodded, not quite understanding the look on Leonard's face. "She went to pick up her friend from the airport. Amy Farrah Fowler." He nodded once more, taking yet another bite of his meal.

"Wait, who? She didn't tell me anything about that, either." Leonard looked even more surprised now, as Sheldon finally guessed, which made the taller male think he might've once again said a little too much.

"Hold up, what did you say? _Amy Farrah Fowler_? You mean the famous neurobiologist, Dr. Fowler?" Raj spoken up, his tone suggesting that the news surprised him, too.

Sheldon cocked his head to the side. He was sure he did not misspell her name or anything like that, but then again, was it possible for such a person like the one he met in Penny's car to be a woman of science, after all? If someone wanted to admit that biology was a serious kind of science of course, and not trying to catch a few frogs just to cut them open. He, as a man of science - which was hard to deny for anyone - personally leaned towards the latter. He definitely was not going to take her seriously.

"I don't really care, Raj." Sheldon sighed with a hint of exasperation in his tone, too busy to notice that he might've caused Penny some trouble with his talking. "I just really hope Penny won't take her in for tonight's Pizza Night."

He, Dr. Sheldon Cooper, had much more important things to do than to take care of a guest that didn't even seem worthy of sitting in his apartment.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

 **It was extremely hard to write for the past few days and I'm really sorry but I wasn't home. Despite being able to use my boyfriend's lappy, I just couldn't get it right - nothing can replace my own, yup. However, I promise to write more often in the future - if anyone's going to be able to read that shit, thanks. But you should know that I love you. You're the best. Each one of you.**

 ** _I own nothing of The Big Bang Theory. This is for entertainment purposes only._**

* * *

It was almost their time to leave. And, truth be told, if it wasn't for a beer and a half bottle of wine Amy and Penny drank, she would never be able to face any of Penny's friends. _Especially_ Leonard.

It was around five when a familiar sound of Amber Run's "I found" began to fill the room and Penny put down the glass, looking around for a moment before finally spotting her phone on a kitchen counter. She got up and walked over to it, her eyebrows arched.

"It's Leonard." She exclaimed in surprise, swiping across the screen and picking up without any other words. Amy looked at her in plain confusion, watching her friend's expression carefully. At first it was confused, then surprised only to change into a hint of embarrassment. Penny sighed loudly, the sound followed with _I know, I know-_ and _I was going to tell you later, so you wouldn't feel st- Okay- I love you, too._

"Is there something wrong, Pens?" The brunette cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips, kind of already aware of the situation. "You didn't tell him I was coming, huh?"

"Well... I might have forgotten, but, hey - don't feel weird, he's all okay with that now."

"It didn't seem like it, he sounded pretty annoyed." Amy groaned, reaching up to brush some hair away from her face. "Listen, it was not a good idea for me to stay at your place." The girl sighed, shaking her head. "I'll get my laptop and book a room at the hotel nearby, it's fine." She exclaimed, getting up but her friend stopped her, huffing at her angrily.

"Don't be silly! It's all okay. He knows you, he was just taken by surprise, it's all."

But Amy knew there was more to it than just a small surprise. A guest at home meant that they couldn't have that much of privacy left and it would trouble her as well, if she was engaged.

That did not stop her, though, from standing in front of a dark-blue door in simple sweatpants and an oversized white tee that did not fit the situation at all. However, the happy look on her friend's face made her smile as well as the latter pushed the door open, walking in a second after.

"Hey there, Moonpie!"

Amy followed suit, fixing her glasses over the small strands of hair falling over them for a short second before she pushed them away, snorting quietly.

"For the one hundred and seventy-eighth time, Penny, the only person to call me a Moonpie is Meemaw!" A familiar voice exclaimed with slight annoyance, which caused Amy to roll her eyes. The girl spotted the tall figure once more, this time sitting by a desk in front of an open laptop. He didn't even bother to take a look at them, typing something furiously.

Okay, fine, she promised Penny to keep an open mind but what could she possibly do if she was just like that? It was easy for her: the first impression was the most important. You could either fall under the "Likable", "Not so fun to be around" or "I truly hope the devil is preparing a very small cauldron for you" category. It was pretty easy to determinate which category you're under, too, since Amy wasn't the master of lying. She _did_ master, though, a blank face which saved her in many, _many_ situations.

And she just liked to use it. Sue her.

She closed the door behind her, eyes scanning the apartment before they once again lay on the man she truly wanted to avoid after the afternoon ride. He looked at her with a stern face, his brows furrowed as he looked over at Penny again.

"Penny, why did you bring a guest with you without giving me a notice beforehand?" He asked loudly, as if not caring if Amy could hear him or not. Well, truth be told, she did not like the fact that he kept showing off how the lack of manners he was possibly born with but she knew better than to show off disrespect in return. And the alcohol did a thing, too. Sue her for that, too.

"Hello to you too, _Dr. Cooper._ I really do hope you're having quite a pleasant evening and I'm certain that you're going to make it even more pleasant for me and other guests." She nodded in his direction curtly, the sarcasm in her tone barely perceptible. The man looked at her in surprise, as if he was shocked she was able to speak but she couldn't care less. He opened his mouth to say something that was probably uncalled for but Penny suddenly cut in before he could utter a word, motioning Amy to seat with a knowing look.

"So, Sheldon. Where's Leonard? He's not back yet?" She asked after a clear of her throat, taking a seat on the couch. Amy followed right after, but before she could even bend her legs in an attempt to seat, she was met with a glare.

"That's my spot. You're not allowed to seat on my spot." Sheldon groaned in resignation, getting up from his seat by the desk and walking over. "I knew it. I do not like changes, Penny. You should've make this young lady read the copy of The Roommate Agreement I gave you or at least inform her that we have very stern rules in this apartment and one of them clearly states that..."

"Oh, come on. Are you a child?" Amy sighed loudly, her arms crossed as she fixed her eyes on the man once more. "I'm not trying to be rude, but how come you claimed a spot on a darn couch? That's just..."

"Oh, my dear." He sighed loudly. "You don't understand a thing, do you? No wonder you're Penny's friend."

"Sheldon!"

"What? I was only telling the truth." He looked at the blonde confused, as if he said nothing wrong. "Well, in the winter that seat is close enough to the radiator to remain warm and yet not so close as to cause perspiration. In the summer, on the other hand, it's directly in the path of a cross breeze created by opening windows there and there." He motioned at the windows with a sudden tug of a smile on his face. "It faces the television at an angle that is neither direct, thus discouraging conversation, nor so far wide as to create a parallax distortion." He nodded, his expression changing to smug as he walked over causing Amy to move away and sat on the couch. "I think I've made my point."

"Jesus Christ." The brunette muttered quietly but obediently sat on the armchair, crossing her legs and arms. Okay, maybe she was a little hot-headed but god damn it, she had every right! For the second time this evening she truly considered moving over to the hotel but she couldn't do this to Penny. It was kind enough of her to let Amy stay at her's for such a long amount of time and the brunette wasn't going to blow this up.

* * *

Every time he tried to say anything, she would cut him off. It was getting more and more annoying and the fact that he needed to be polite had his eye twitch. Not that he wasn't polite every day but Leonard clearly said that he didn't want any arguments the apartment that 50% of was still his. She stirred this kind of emotions in him that he didn't think he possessed - not as _Homo Novus_. Irritation, oh yes. That was first. It mixed with this stupid feeling he could only describe as "pffft" - only in his head, of course. He was not a toddler anymore.

Oh, and there were her eyes - those large, owl-like green orbs that made his insides twitch every time they landed on his face. Not to mention, they squinted every time she did so which didn't help Sheldon at all. They seemed to penetrate his mind and analyse every single move he made; he felt as if he was her prey and she was a predator. With glasses in heavy, black frames and a cheeky grin. Her face was strangely symmetrical, though, which didn't cause his eyes to hurt - that was good. He could not examine her body, failing to make notes on everything - although, thank Lord for that. He was not the type to scan females up and down, and he surely did not want to analyse her shape.

The only thing good about her was her voice. A little too low for a female, so different from Penny's but somewhat calming and easy to listen to.

With a sigh, he leaned against the couch, lips pursed and legs crossed. He truly wished she didn't come here at all. _Amy Farrah Fowler_. He was getting bored with her endless talk about how she spent a semester in Norway, yet it didn't teach her even a little of the things she could pick up at Harvard and other things he was not focused on while she talked and talked _and talked._ He could not say he didn't like her, although Sheldon thoughts were rolling around the word "indifferent". He could not understand why was Leonard so fond of her, along with Howard and Bernadette who seemed truly sad to leave earlier than usual thus ending the endless conversation between the small blonde and Amy Farrah Fowler. _Biology. Amazing._

He rolled his eyes and got up, picking up the rest of their meal and walked over to the trash bin, throwing it away. It was only then when he heard some unfamiliar song beginning to play, only to recognize the voice to be Neil Diamond's a few seconds later.

Sheldon was sure it was not Penny's nor Leonard's phone, since both of them did not like this kind of music but before he could think whom it might've belonged to, the music stopped. It began once more, though, and he walked over to the couch once more, picking the newest iPhone from between the cushions.

"Pens." He hummed, narrowing his eyes. "Who for God's sake is... Oh, well. I could've guessed." Sheldon sighed and rolled his eyes, for a second considering picking up but instead he just pursed his lips and walked over to the door, soon enough stepping through them and beginning to walk towards his neighbor's door. Knocking three times - yes, that did make him feel better - he called out his friend's name, only to be met with owl-like eyes a short second later.

"Dr. Cooper." The woman in front of him sighed, arching a brow. "Penny just went to take a quick shower, how may I help your little soul?"

"Well, excuse me, but you should not open someone else's door. That's rude." He pointed out, his eyes growing rounder at the bored expression he caused. Or maybe annoyed? Jesus, he was still bad at this.

"Your face is _rude._ Now, do you want to come in or should I send Penny to you?" The petite woman asked, her voice jumping an octave higher as she spoke, certainly not so pleased.

"How can a face be rude? That's just impossible. There is no expression that could possibly cover what you just said, Amy Farrah Fowler." Sheldon sighed, his tone nearly fatherly as he did so. "And I would like to just give it back to whoever it belongs to, so no, I would not like to come in." He exclaimed, handing the phone over to the girl in front of him. "I suppose it's yours."

Amy blinked a few times, her lips parting as if she wanted to say anything but in the end she just nodded. Her slender fingers grabbed the device and she nearly hugged it to her chest, looking a little... embarrassed. Yes, he was sure he got it right. It was embarrassment.

"I... Thank you." She nodded once more, clearing her throat quietly, her next words coming out after a short pause. "And just _Amy_ would be enough, really."

"I know." The man nodded, suddenly feeling a little awkward himself. "I just prefer to refer to you by your full name. We are not colleagues." He was honest - she was just Penny's guest that wasn't going to stay for long therefore he did not feel the need to grow attached to her. Besides, he did not think there was anything to get attached to. She was plain, she did not read comic books and she seemed to confuse Star Trek and Star Wars, which was unbelievable. He also doubted she was able to pick up what he had to say about String Theory or Dark Matter, the things he was working on, the things that actually _mattered_. Sheldon was not going to befriend a person like that, even because they would have simply nothing to talk about.

 _Hypocrite. You're friends with Penny, even though she keeps confusing things, too._

However, before he could say anything else, she chuckled quietly, her tone going back to normal as she looked up at him once more - the height difference making it look a little funny, since the top of her head barely reached his chin.

"Well, as you wish. Is there anything else you'd...?" She didn't finish but he already shook his head, taking a step back.

"No, I just wanted to give it back - it would not stop ringing, really." Sheldon sighed with a hint of annoyance, pursing his lips with a shrug. "I will be going now."

"O...kay then." The girl exclaimed, taking a small step back herself. "Good night, Dr. Cooper."

He cleared his throat, watching her piercing eyes scan his face before he simply turned around and walked away.

* * *

The next day seemed to begin nicely. For the first time in weeks Amy didn't have to deal with nightmares - she slept soundly, no dream haunting her tired mind. She woke up around seven thirty in the morning, rubbing her eyes with one hand while the other one kept on gripping the pillow tightly. She knew that Penny did not want to be up so early, so she got up from her temporary bed in the living room as quietly as she could, putting on her glasses as soon as possible.

She felt good, really. Although she missed the rainy weather that bid its goodbyes to her as she left Seattle, she welcomed the change with a sigh of relief. The lovely weather made her feel a little lighter on the inside and she grinned briefly, already coming up with a plan for today.

Humming quietly, she prepared herself a few sandwiches, eating them without much of thought before walking over to the shower. She still got a little time before she needed to head out, so she carefully combed and curled her hair, pinning the fringe with one of her black hair clips. The woman sighed, putting on one of her dresses with semi-long sleeves and buttoned up front, that said something between "I'm a mother of twelve kids and a dog" and "I really need this job to feed them all". Not that she was worried, on the other hand - she knew her value. Her mother made sure she was more than confident about her brain and knowledge.

 _If you don't know your own worth and value you should not expect someone else to calculate it for you. End of story._

She left a small note on Penny's kitchen counter as she headed out, her heart nearly jumping out of her chest as she nearly bumped into Leonard and Sheldon while trying to get her wallet out of her purse.

"Oh my god, you're going to kill me." She breathed out, putting her hand over her chest.

"i'm sorry, I'm sorry!" The shorter man breathed out as well, shaking his head. "It seems like you're heading out as well?"

"Oh, yes. I have a few things to settle." Amy smiled briefly, nodding as she made her way to the stairs.

"We're heading out to work, do you need a lift?"

He seemed genuine but she was still a little too nervous to engage in such small talks, really. So she only looked at him, giving off a small grin before shaking her head.

"No, it's okay. I have a cab waiting for me outside the building, I won't bother you this much."

And before he could answer, she already disappeared behind the glass door.

She didn't want to share some unnecessary information with him, especially in Sheldon's presence - who seemed a little too quiet today. Amy did not care much, though, as the cab has drove through the streets; the buildings passing by quickly, too quick for her to notice any kind of interesting things going on. The traffic was horrible but the driver seemed to know where to take turns to make it easier and on time - especially since she's got only twenty minutes left. She didn't think much; she was sure that the department she was aiming for will hire her for sure. She was smart. She _tried_ to be outgoing. And she knew how to cut a brain.

Not that she was going to tell that her future employer, oh God.

Once the driver stopped in front of the building, she thanked quietly and walked out of the cab, handing the man the amount of money he wanted. A little too much, actually, as she thought while walking up the stairs and pushing the door of the building open. Amy walked over to the counter, the woman behind it smiled at her gently as she did so. She tried to smile back lightly but the business-like side of her kicked in, trying to kick out the last bit of insecurity.

"Good morning. I'm Dr. Fowler and I was going to meet Dr. Siebert. Where should I head?" She asked, her head cocking to the side as she looked at her watch impatiently.

"Dr. Fowler, I see." The woman nodded once, her smile still present. "It's room 206, third floor. He's waiting for you."

"Thank you very much."

Amy headed over to the elevator, her flat shoes colliding with the floor with small thuds as she finally reached over to press the button, waiting patiently for the elevator to come down. That is, until she heard a familiar voice behind her, causing her to turn around quickly.

"Amy Farrah Fowler?"

"Oh God." She groaned, watching a tall frame approach her. Dr. Sheldon Cooper. Yup, that's all she needed as for now, to forget that he goddamn worked for CalTech. Amazing.

"What are you doing here, if I may ask?" His voice was firm, eyes squinted briefly as he scanned her face in search for any possible clues.

"Oh, I was just... You know, doing _this_... And _that_..." She choked out, quietly praying that the door would come open any second so she could jump in and get rid of that man for a little bit. She didn't want to answer any of those questions, mostly because she didn't know what would come out of all of this. And, in conclusion, she didn't want any snarky remarks for the few weeks she was going to spend right next his door.

" _This_ and _that_? What does it mean?" He asked as the elevator door opened, his prayers for him not to come in being left unanswered as he stepped in, pressing the second floor button.

"It means that you should mind your own business, Sheldon Cooper." Amy groaned, pressing the button with a number three, backing away and leaning against the wall of the elevator. "Don't you have more important things to do?"

"Oh, I definitely do." He nodded, as if he didn't hear the threatening tone in her voice. "You see, Dark Matter is a truly fascinating subject. I didn't know that I could just drop the String Theory for a little bit but it seemed like a wise choice. Along with Leonard, we came to quite amazing conclusions although it was obviously me who did all the calculating and... Oh wait, what was that?"

"What?" She asked in a resigned tone, lips pursing as she nervously tapped against the steel wall. "Unless you lost track of your thoughts - then I'm truly not going to help you. I wasn't listening to your bla-" Amy cut off suddenly, her eyes growing a little larger than usual. "What was _that?!"_

There it goes, keeping cool.

It seemed like something has shattered above them, once then twice, the light flickered a few times and the alarm suddenly went off - something was definitely wrong, she was sure. Amy straightened up, her breath a little faster than usual but she couldn't care less as she walked over to the panel with different floors and tried to press any button possible but it seemed as if the power went off.

"Oh my God." Sheldon sighed, his eyes growing wider by the second. He did not like this, not a tiny bit. The fact that they were _stuck_ in this tight elevator with a limited amount of oxygen and no power as it seemed turned his insides upside down. He quickly took out his phone out of his bag, dialing the number as soon as possible.

"Hello? Yes... Yes, we're stuck possibly between the first and the second... Yes, Amy Farrah Fowler is here with me. Yes, we have tried that but it seems as if- Yes." He nodded, taking a deep breath through his nose before ending the call with a long exhale.

"Did you call someone from the staff? What did they say?" She asked, looking around nervously. Amy was surprised with his quite calm demeanor - probably just on the outside, unconsciously showing it off and earning an annoyed look from the male.

"One to two hours." He replied with a sigh, licking his lips nervously. "It's going to take them one to two hours to fix that. It seems as if the power went off in the whole building due to faulty installation but it's going to be taken care of as soon as possible, yet first they need to call some people in order to do so and it's going to take a while."

Amy blinked a few times, her lips parting before she nearly brought the power back with the most high-pitched scream he has ever heard.

 _"One to two hours? But I have a goddamn job offer to accept!"_


End file.
